Lord of the garden and the city,
You placed humanity over the work of Your hands
To tend the earth and cultivate life,
To bring order, fruitfulness, and care.

The call to cultivate now echoes in our neighborhoods,
In offices, shops, kitchens, fields, and factories.

Father, Son, and Spirit,
You are a God of mercy and justice, 
Full of grace and truth.

We pray today for our first responders,  
Women and men who answer the call for help.
When sirens ring, they are the ones who come, 
Stepping into uncertainty, chaos, and danger.
Their daily work is too often the most tragic day of someone else’s life.

Spirit of God,
Tune our hearts to hear You.

Help us hear with intention and attention,
Listening longer to those who labor beside us.

Help us hear the weight in the weary words
Of the waiter, grocer, or warehouse worker.

May our prayer for food create a pause,
That enlarges our hearts through
Gratitude, confession, lament, and longing
For the availability of food for all.

May 40 Days
Of Lenten wilderness lead
To a greater awareness
Of our great need,
And of Your great love.

We pray for those in prison
For their hearts, minds, and bodies.
May they trust their identity
Is not only a last name, a number, or statistic of the state.

May your mercy bring healing.
May your grace make us whole.
And may your love bring us at the last
To our eternal home.

May we walk through this season
And walk through our neighborhoods With Your eyes
With Your heart
And with Your love